In order to protect footwear or other items from moisture it is quite common to impregnate the footwear with an impregnating agent which will counteract the influence of moisture/water.
Within the context of this patent, footwear will be used as an example of items which are suitable to be treated with and by the invention. Naturally the skilled person will after having realised the advantages of the present invention recognise which other items the apparatus and method is suitable to treat as well.
Typically footwear will be made from a material which is not watertight, and as such one reason to impregnate is to prolong the period of time from the footwear is exposed to moisture and until the footwear is saturated whereby the moisture will have gained access to the feet.
Another object is to avoid moisture discolouring the surface and thereby the looks of the footwear which may also be alleviated by use of an impregnating agent.
Typically, the impregnating process is carried out by an impregnating agent contained in an aerosol can such that by activating the aerosol can an impregnating mist is created through the nozzle of the can and by directing the mist at the footwear, a layer of impregnating agent is applied to the surface of the footwear.
This process is typically carried out outside, in that the impregnating agent as well as the aerosols used to propel the impregnating agents have a bad smell and leave stains on the surroundings and if inhaled are potentially harmful to the health.
From DE19945229 is known an impregnating apparatus, where footwear is positioned on an endless conveyor and transported through various treatment sections. The conveyor belt comprises pushers which urge the footwear through the different sections and the footwear is positioned on turn-tables, such that as the footwear arrives at for example the impregnating spraying station, the footwear is rotated relative to the spraying nozzles, whereby the nozzles (in theory) impregnate all outside surfaces of the footwear.
In GB2125319 is disclosed a further apparatus for impregnating footwear. The apparatus comprises a rail on which rail the footwear to be impregnated is arranged. The track leads through treatment stations, and footwear placed on the tracks will when travelling through the treatment stations be sprayed with for example an impregnating agent, dried etc. The footwear is arranged on holders being part of the track, where the holders rotate in the treatment stations assuring that all outside surfaces are sprayed.
In order to address these issues the same applicant successfully developed an apparatus which had an enclosure into which footwear was placed and an impregnation procedure was carried out. This apparatus was published as international patent application no. WO 2009/127214 A1, and is incorporated by reference.
Although this apparatus did address the issues relating to hazardous inhalation of impregnating mist, distribution of impregnating agent in the environment and a more homogenous impregnation of footwear items, there were still some desirable improvement items which the present invention addresses.